{"id":196,"date":"2018-10-16T21:04:29","date_gmt":"2018-10-16T21:04:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-esc-educationalplanning\/?post_type=chapter&p=196"},"modified":"2019-01-29T15:50:36","modified_gmt":"2019-01-29T15:50:36","slug":"reflective-thinking-growth-mindset","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-esc-educationalplanning\/chapter\/reflective-thinking-growth-mindset\/","title":{"raw":"Growth Mindset","rendered":"Growth Mindset"},"content":{"raw":"\"Greatness isn\u2019t born, it\u2019s made.\" Do you believe this? Or do you believe that some people are just destined for greatness?\r\n\r\nCarol S. Dweck, Ph.D., author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success<\/a>, presents the idea that personal success comes down to a central belief about ourselves, which falls into two mindsets:\r\n

Those with a fixed mindset<\/strong> believe that we all have inherent traits, abilities and skills. These individuals try to prove their talents by being successful, and avoid situations that will highlight their shortcomings. \u201cI\u2019m just not good at math.\" \u201cShe\u2019s a natural-born leader.\u201d \u201cI\u2019ve never been musically inclined.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Those with a growth mindset<\/strong> believe that, while we are all endowed with different qualities, our abilities can be cultivated through concentrated effort. Individuals with this mindset are focused on developing and improving their inherent skills and talents.<\/p>\r\nWhile the fixed mindset avoids failure and seeks out success, the growth mindset embraces failure as a necessary means to achieving success. Dweck advocates for the latter mindset because it drives us towards self-improvement, rather than restricting us to our natural abilities. In other words, success is about learning versus simply proving that you are smart. Read more fully about fixed vs. growth mindsets in the article \"How Your Beliefs Can Sabotage Your Behavior<\/a>,\" by James Clear.\r\n\r\nAdapting a growth mindset means recognizing that success is not about avoiding failures, but rather about embracing them, taking on challenges, and not giving up. As author and art historian Sarah Lewis<\/a> observes, \u201cWe thrive not when we have done it all but when we still have more to do.\u201d In other words, it is our shortcomings that can drive us to be better. If everything comes easy, or if you are constantly reaffirming what you already know or are capable of, then you are also limiting your opportunities for personal progress and growth.\u00a0 Watch Carol Dweck's presentation on growth mindset below.\r\n\r\n[embed]https:\/\/youtu.be\/_X0mgOOSpLU[\/embed]\r\n\r\nWhat kind of a mindset do you think you have?\u00a0One quick way to analyze your mindset is to consider how you would react in the following scenario: You find out\u00a0that you did really poorly on a research paper and, when you come out of work that same day,\u00a0you find a ticket on your car. You send a text about the rough day you\u2019re having to your friend who responds, but kind of brushes you off. What would your reaction be?\r\n

    \r\n \t
  1. \u201cI feel like a reject, a total failure. I never seem to get anything right. The world is out to get me.\u201d<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. \u201cI really need to try harder in class, maybe join that study group. Next time I'll pay better attention to where I park. I wonder why my friend has been so distant; I should probably check in more often.\u201d<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    Option\u00a01 is an example of a fixed mindset: \u201cI\u2019m having a really bad day and there\u2019s nothing to be done about it.\u201d Option\u00a02 is an example of a growth mindset: \u201cI can work to make this better.\u201d (Dweck 7-8)<\/p>\r\nFor a fuller assessment of your mindset, take the\u00a0Mindset Quiz<\/a>\u00a0by Carol Dweck.\r\n\r\nNo matter the outcome of your assessment, realize that you can more fully develop a growth mindset.\u00a0 Read about\u00a025 Practices that Foster Lifelong Learning<\/a>.[footnote]This page contains low-contrast text. A\u00a0text-only version of 25 Practices that Foster Lifelong Learning<\/a> is available.[\/footnote]\r\n\r\nFinally, read\u00a0an article based on a study by Ellen Langer on the\u00a0application of growth mindset: \"How Our Beliefs Can Shape Our Waistlines<\/a>\"\r\n

    \r\n

    initial learning activity<\/h3>\r\nBrainstorm personal examples of how your beliefs and positive mindsets have helped you in a work situation.\r\n\r\nThen do a second brainstorm, generating ideas about\u00a0how you can develop more of a growth mindset at work.\r\n\r\nReflective thinking and a growth mindset lead to action.\u00a0 View the following video on creating an action plan.\r\n\r\n[embed]https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=K1EHZW4oFGg[\/embed]\r\n\r\nApplying a growth mindset, identify one area \u2013 a skill or a concept \u2013 that you need to work on to more fully develop yourself as a professional. Create an action plan to develop this skill or concept further, specifying your goal and identifying concrete steps that you will take.\r\n\r\nSubmit:<\/strong>\r\n